Appearance

Physical Description

Strength and physique is not a main priority for Arkadius, who from past experience has clearly missed more-than-one-too-many leg-days (See journal entry titled A Simple Job). Arkadius has taken an academic route in life, having preferred to flex his brain-muscles.

Body Features

The main striking feature of Arkadius' body is his pair of burgundy red and midnight-black bat-like wings that hang from his back, combined with the horns stretching back from his forehead. Arkadius' skin is a shade of soft burgundy. He is of average build, not necessarily keeping up with an exercise regime per se, though he is kept fairly fit and active through his two passions in life: adventuring, and his fiancé Kassandra Farcleaver.

Facial Features

Arkadius once sported a neatly-trimmed black goatee and moustache, rather prominent below his feline orange eyes and blackish dark-burgundy skin-coloured horns protruding from his forehead, stretching back over his head towards his back and wings. His hair and beard are now grown out, his hair held up in what is colloquially known as a man-bun. He has gaunt cheekbones, leading to a sharp-looking pointed chin.
 
What was once small flickers of silvery-white hair appearing in Arkadius' sideburns, beard and moustache following his adventures in Fallford and Shadowfell in Home Sweet Home, given his aging significantly due to time-differences between his home demipkane and the Material Plane, have now taken true hold.

Identifying Characteristics

Arkadius is a fairly unique specimen as far as tieflings are presented. He has various features that normal tieflings do not exhibit, such as having six fingers on each hand, as well as midnight black-coloured bat-like wings extruding from his back. He is also known to have a natural aroma of brimstone that follows him about.
 
Following the events of Return to the Prince, Arkadius has embraced the tattoo that appeared on the back of his right-hand upon picking up the notice on the rumour noticeboard, which resembles a mountain and a wave (the sign of the earth and water elementals respectively).
 
Arkadius also has a very small mark on his forehead, where the Raven Queen touched him to break him free of his Pact with Swan in What The Raven Knows.

Physical quirks

Arkadius, as previously noted, is a unique specimen of a tiefling. He is a rare breed, having been born with wings, six fingers on each hand, and the exotic natural aroma of brimstone following him around.
 
While some believe this is due to hygiene issues, Arkadius maintains that he holds high standards in this regard, and that there is nothing wrong with his natural aroma.

Apparel & Accessories

Many moons ago, Arkadius sought out a famous tailor residing in the city of Waterdeep and enquired into hiring them to prepare designs for a set of clothes that would allow him to stick his wings through, but also keep warm and wrapped up when he didn't want his wings poking out. The tailor promptly threw him out of his store, and Arkadius was forced to find an alternative.
 
Another tailor in the city was willing to take on the work, and Arkadius promptly took them up on the offer. After many months of designing, redesigning, testing and sewing, the result was a set of clothing (robes et al) which featured enclosed flaps on the back, meaning Arkadius could poke his wings out through them and use them while fully dressed, while avoiding clothing-related social mishaps (for example, ripped or shredded clothing). Arkadius has since shipped back various items of cloting and armour to the tailor to amend and improve using the unique methods.

Mentality

Personal history

Details of Arkadius' history have been recorded in various journal entries. To read these, visit the write-ups page of The Kantas Expanse's forum, or to listen to The Adventures of Arkadius Hogg podcast.

Education

During his childhood, Arkadius was taught in school alongside the other children of Fallford, and he was alone most of the time given he was one of the only tiefling children in his age group. He remained stoic to this, and paid attention to the lessons.
 
Arkadius was also taught the lyre as a child, and has retained this knowledge through to his adulthood.

Employment

Arkadius was previously self-employed, mananging FfirstGroup (the parent company of FfirstMail and FfirstTravel), however he set up a stock system and sold the stocks to his employees prior to taking an extended break from adventuring in Kantas during 1498.
 
FfirstMail provides a Post Office and postal delivery network within Port Ffirst similar to the service Wendy provides for Daring Heights, and actually offering delivery of post to Daring Heights via Wendy.
 
FfirstTravel offers safe, quick and luxurious travel options between various locations, including between Port Ffirst and Daring Heights. The horse-drawn carriages and carts can be used for passenger operations, however are frequently also loaned to FfirstMail should freight operations be required.

Accomplishments & Achievements

Arkadius claims his second-best accomplishment is annoying and irritating a monstrous bugbear to the point where they threw both their weapon and shield at him, leaving themselves defenceless.
 
Arkadius' best achievement was providing Port Ffirst with a fast, efficient and cost-effective privatised postal delivery network. Following the near-mass destruction of Port Ffirst, Arkadius is yet to return to the city to check on his former workers and friends.

Mental Trauma

As an adventurer, it is natural that Arkadius will have faced considerable mental trauma over the years, however the greatest hit to his mental state was losing his husband to an attack in Waterdeep in 1494. Other major impacts to mental health include forming a pact with Swan after meeting his husband and mentor.
 
Arkadius personally considers the pact to have at least been liberating to a degree, especially as it gave him the confidence to leave his birthtown of Fallford, which he had been dreaming of doing throughout his childhood.
 
During the war in Avernus against Zariel, Arkadius was faced with a choice, which would end with fatal consequences for one of the two forces fighting along the group. Arkadius was asked to either send the Order of the Crimson Fist's Heavy Cavalry or the Errant Guard to cover retreat of the remainder of the forces' to ensure they had a safe passage and could make it back to the Material plane before the portal closed. The force sent to cover the retreat would know that this would be their final play, and they were highly unlikely to survive.
 
Arkadius chose to send the OCF's Heavy Cavalry to cover their retreat, and commanded the Errant Guard to move towards the portal in retreat. Arkadius forced himself to look back at the battleground during the retreat, forcing himself to observe and watch the Heavy Cavalry ride to their deaths at the hands of the devils, a memory which will stick with him for the rest of his life.
 
Before the adventurers teleported back to the Dawnlands without him (as Arkadius had elected to stay with Kassandra Farcleaver for a night) following the events in A Diplomatic Exercise, Ser Baine stepped away from the circle and asked Arkadius for a moment, to the side. Ser Baine advised Arkadius that he had heard a lot about him, prompting Arkadius to apologise he had been unable to spare time to visit the Order of the Crimson Fist's compound to explain his actions in Avernus fully. Ser Baine admonished Arkadius for this, saying that nobody in the Order beared him any ill-will, explaining that the Cavalry all signed up and swore to protect the Dawnlands, and they died doing what they desired to do. In fact, Ser Baine advised Arkadius that he honoured the Cavary by ordering them to cover the retreat. Ser Baine then took off his gauntlet, offering the now-exposed hand
out wordlessly for a handshake. Arkadius accepted, shaking Ser Baine's hand, putting one more sliver of emotional trauma into the "Resolved" section of his brain, and Ser Baine returned to the teleport circle.

Morality & Philosophy

While others have accused him of being self-serving and cowardly at times, Arkadius himself knows that he has a personal code of conduct and morality to which he remains true.
 
He tries at all times to maintain a balance between action and survivability, and also a careful balance between white and black, light and dark, good and bad. He has chosen to stand in the center space, following the grey very intentionally as it allows for the greater freedom and flexibility to act in situations as is deemed necessary at the time.
 
Arkadius has no qualms about acting as a devil's advocate (which some people unfortunately take quite literally due to his tiefling heritage), and while he doesn't like endless and pointless debate, will be more than willing to engage in debate where it makes reasonable sense.

person.sexuality

Arkadius' sexuality is not publicly known, however he has a wedding ring on his finger from a past marriage which he seldom discusses, often choosing to move the conversation on swiftly if it is mentioned.
 
Rumours of Arkadius and Kassandra Farcleaver of the Errant Guard have also begun to spread around K'ul Goran and Kantas, following the Avernus retreat in 1497 (in session The Tale of These Days). As they were leaving the battlefield following the training exercise in A Diplomatic Exercise a few weeks later, Arkadius plucked up enough courage to ask Kassandra Farcleaver out on a date, who replied "Took you long enough, Arkadius.".
 
Arkadius took an extended break away from adventuring in Kantas in 1498, where he spent several months living with Kassandra, joining her on various Errant Guard missions. Following a brief return to assist in some matters, Arkadius chose to propose to Kassandra, who accepted wholeheartedly.

person.gender_identity

Born and self-identifies as Male.

Known Languages

Common, Draconic, Infernal

Personality

Motivation

Arkadius' motivations were mostly unknown while there was only one being on the Material Plane who knew of Arkadius' past, however he has opened up to several more adventurers, and more and more people know of his history from Fallford, the demiplane of Shadowfell. Arkadius now adventures within Kantas to find where his former pstron Swan remains, and has vowed to make her suffer.

Quotes & Catchphrases

"One bottle of whiskey in my bag, one bottle of whiskey! You take it out, and have a swig, and put the bottle of whiskey back in the bag!" - The Whiskey Song, first publicly sung during "Amorphophallus Titanium", dated 8th of Hammer, 1497.

Vices & Personality flaws

Arkadius is partial to fire whiskey, and alcohol of many kinds, and is known to enjoy imbibing alcoholic spirits with friends and strangers alike.

Social

Birthplace

Fallford, Demiplane of Shadowfell, the Plane of Shadow (lost to magic)

Current Residence

Fair Winds, Daring Heights, Kantas

Contacts & Relations

In his time in Kantas, Arkadius has become good friends with a variety of different adventurers.
 

The Planes of Existence

The Planes of Existence was formed as a partnership after Arkadius introduced to each other two of his closest friends, Sheryl and Mathew. At the time of the introduction, Arkadius was in the process of drunkenly admitting his musical childhood and background to Mathew, which Sheryl overheard. His two musical friends then encouraged him to open up with them, hence the band forming.
 

Mathew Mentar

Arkadius first met Mathew on his very first adventure, having not long arrived into Kantas and looking to settle down (see journal entry "Return to Kundar"). Arkadius didn't have much of an opportunity to settle down, having set straight off to Kundar with his new associates.
 

Merla

Arkadius and Merla have an endearing friendship, having formed a bond through adventuring together regularly, combined with the later musical tendencies becoming clear. Merla was originally the only person within Kantas that Arkadius trusted with the knowledge of his true and full history from birth to current time, being his best friend and confidante, however since has opened up to more adventurers, even taking some to his former home
 
When Merla was recalled to her home in the Feywild, Arkadius was heartbroken at the loss of his best friend, however she soon returned to Kantas, and they were reunited in their efforts to thwart the Vanguard in K'ul Goran, culminating in the battle in Avernus.
 

Menace (Mace)

Menace became one of Arkadius' earliest and best friends when travelling in Kantas, and it was natural that the pair would work together as part of Menace's burgeoning enterprises within Port Ffirst. Arkadius serves as Menace's right-hand tiefling, occasionally providing advice and suggestions, as well as assisting with work. This has lessened over time, as Arkadius spent more time working as part of his own enterprise, FfirstGroup, however the two remain the dearest of friends.
 

Taz

Arkadius and Taz's primary friendship is one involving a considerable amount of alcohol. In between work and adventuring, Arkadius will happily spend time with any and all of his friends in whatever drinking establishment is most suitable in the area.
 

Wil Frozendagger

Arkadius has always been privately jealous of Wil, being at home with the water (as described in "Return of the Prince"), however has always strived to remain civil and friendly with his fellow adventurer. Following the events of "Return to the Prince", Arkadius was able to learn from his friend, and has also set upon the goal of harnessing and partnering with all four elements (fire, earth, air and water).
 

Onno

Arkadius and Onno have travelled on several quests together, and Arkadius remembers Onno as the "funny lizard with a shell" (a reference to Onno claiming Caex to be a turtle without a shell during "Amorphophallus Titanium").
 

BB

Arkadius and BB have adventured together several times, and for Greengrass in 1497 (their shared birthday), Arkadius brought a horse-drawn cart full of alcohol to New Hillborrow to celebrate.

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Arkadius, through sheer business acumen, has bequeathed himself with various formal titles, including Director of FfirstGroup, Postmaster of FfirstMail and Coachmaster of FfirstTravel. As he has sold the business to the employees, he no longer refers to himself by any of these titles.
 
Arkadius was also referred to as "Deathbringer", and "the Wayward Son" by the Raven Queen during Fell Shadows, Beckoning.
 
During his expedition to Fallford in Home Sweet Home, Arkadius also learned that for many, many decades he was known as "The Betrayer", after the survivors of multiple invasions by githyanki were believed to have found their way to Fallford following Arkadius' leaving, which led to the plane slowly dying. He was initially saddened and distraught by this discovery, but owned the title when he later thay dame day forgave those of the town who bullied him, and took the last remaining survivors of Fallford back to Port Ffirst.

Family Ties

Arkadius' mother left the demiplane of Fallford when Arkadius was a baby, leaving him to be raised by his father alone. He is an only-child, having no siblings. On leaving Fallford himself not long after his 19th birthday, Arkadius cut his own ties to the majority of his family, and hasn't considered their existence since leaving.
 
During the events of Fell Shadows, Beckoning, Arkadius and his fellow adventurers were entrusted with a wisp by The Raven Queen to guide them to their task. The Raven Queen advised Arkadius that this soul knows the way. The wisp gave Arkadius a sense of affection and familiarity before it expended the last of it's energy to ensure the group made it to where they were headed, with Arkadius fully believing that this was the soul of his departed mother.
 
Arkadius also learned the terrible fate of his father after returning to Fallford during Home Sweet Home, learning that his father had been attacked and cast out of the town after the populace believed that Arkadius' betrayal was the cause of the town's problems. What happened after Arkadius' father was cast out of the town and into the wilderness was never resolved, leading the likelist event being that his father succumbed to danger out in the plane's wilderness.

Religious Views

Arkadius doesn't align himself with any specific religious or spiritual views, and after The Raven Queen was able to free him from his pact, he especially does not believe in the Almighty powerof his former warlock patron, Swan.
 
Arkadius has received visions directly from The Raven Queen during adventures within Shadowfell, which has set him questioning who he should be serving, and how he should be behaving.
 
During the events of Fell Shadows, Beckoning, Arkadius swore to serve the Raven Queen "in this life and after it" as a trade for Her restoring Sheryl's feebled mind.
 
Following the events of Home Sweet Home, Faye, Bones and Wren witnessed an argument between Arkadius and an unseen being, only hearing Arkadius' side of the conversation, which seemed to be extremely tense, ending with Arkadius goading Swan into action, inviting Her to attack.
"Come try me, Swan. Come f***ing try me. You've seen what I can do. You've seen what my friends can do. So you know what? Come try.".
 
Following the events of What The Raven Knows, the Raven Queen released Arkadius from his pact with Swan, releasing him from Her grasp and setting him on the path of destroying Swan completely. This reunlocked access to the shadow magic that had been within Arkadius since his birth, owing to his connection to Shadowfell.

Social Aptitude

Arkadius was once sarcastic, witty, and downright rude at times. However for his closest friends, he is loyal, friendly and kind, and outwardly he has become more serious and stern.

Hobbies & Pets

While not technically pets, Arkadius has two permanent travelling companions in the form of Ida and Sacha. Arkadius is currently not considering picking up actual pets for fear of jealousy from Ida.
 

Ida (familiar)

Ida is his familiar, brought about by his power as granted by his patron Swan. She has appeared in two forms, a weasel and a cat, however most of the time she stays in weasel form. She will usually ask to be allowed to roam the city in her cat form on the rare occasions that she is is not with Arkadius when out adventuring, promptly asking Arkadius to return her to weasel form when he returns.
 
Arkadius dismissed Ida shortly before travelling back to the Shadowfell to ask the Raven Queen for Her support in challenging Swan, his former Warlock Patron, knowing that if all went to plan that he would no longer have access to the magic that he used to bring Ida into the world.
 
Months later, Arkadius focused his Bardic powers to allow him to once more summon a familiar, and Ida returned, more Celestial than Fiend owing to the magic in use, and now has golden-amber fur rather than the black fur she previously had.
 

Sacha (mount)

Sacha is a warhorse that Arkadius purchased early on in his time in the Kantas Expanse, which usually resided in the yard of the FfirstGroup office. Now Sacha either travels with Arkadius or stays in the Daring stables.